Dataset Information

Sonographic findings in coronavirus disease-19 associated liver damage.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

This study was conducted to evaluate the role of liver sonography in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and elevated liver enzymes.

Materials and methods

In this retrospective study, patients tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 in our emergency ward between January 01 and April 24, 2020 and elevated liver enzymes were included (Cohort 1). Additionally, the local radiology information system was screened for sonographies in COVID-19 patients at the intensive care unit in the same period (Cohort 2). Liver sonographies and histologic specimen were reviewed and suspicious findings recorded. Medical records were reviewed for clinical data. Ultrasound findings and clinical data were correlated with severity of liver enzyme elevation.

Results

Cohort 1: 126 patients were evaluated, of which 47 (37.3%) had elevated liver enzymes. Severity of liver enzyme elevation was associated with death (p<0.001). 8 patients (6.3%) had suspicious ultrasound findings, including signs of acute hepatitis (n = 5, e.g. thickening of gall bladder wall, hepatomegaly, decreased echogenicity of liver parenchyma) and vascular complications (n = 4). Cohort 2: 39 patients were evaluated, of which 14 are also included in Cohort 1. 19 patients (48.7%) had suspicious ultrasound findings, of which 13 patients had signs of acute hepatitis and 6 had vascular complications. Pathology was performed in 6 patients. Predominant findings were severe cholestasis and macrophage activation.

Conclusion

For most hospitalized COVID-19 patients, elevated liver enzymes cause little concern as they are only mild to moderate. However, in severely ill patients bedside sonography is a powerful tool to reveal different patterns of vascular, cholestatic or inflammatory complications in the liver, which are associated with high mortality. In addition, macrophage activation as histopathologic correlate for a hyperinflammatory syndrome seems to be a frequent complication in COVID-19.

SUBMITTER: Spogis J

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7894893 | biostudies-literature | 2021

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Sonographic findings in coronavirus disease-19 associated liver damage.

Spogis Jakob J Hagen Florian F Thaiss Wolfgang M WM Hoffmann Tatjana T Malek Nisar N Nikolaou Konstantin K Berg Christoph P CP Singer Stephan S Bösmüller Hans H Kreth Florian F Kaufmann Sascha S

PloS one 20210219 2

<h4>Purpose</h4>This study was conducted to evaluate the role of liver sonography in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and elevated liver enzymes.<h4>Materials and methods</h4>In this retrospective study, patients tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 in our emergency ward between January 01 and April 24, 2020 and elevated liver enzymes were included (Cohort 1). Additionally, the local radiology information system was screened for sonographies in COVID-19 patients at the intensive care ...[more]

PMID: 33606703

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Project description:Although coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is transmitted via respiratory droplets, there are multiple gastrointestinal and hepatic manifestations of the disease, including abnormal liver-associated enzymes. However, there are not many published articles on the pathological findings in the liver of patients with COVID-19. We collected the clinical data from 17 autopsy cases of patients with COVID-19 including age, sex, Body mass index (BMI), liver function test (alanine aminotransaminase (ALT), aspartate aminotransaminase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), direct bilirubin, and total bilirubin), D-dimer, and anticoagulation treatment. We examined histopathologic findings in postmortem hepatic tissue, immunohistochemical (IHC) staining with antibody against COVID-19 spike protein, CD68 and CD61, and electron microscopy. We counted the number of megakaryocytes in liver sections from these COVID-19-positive cases. Abnormal liver-associated enzymes were observed in 12 of 17 cases of COVID-19 infection. With the exception of three cases that had not been tested for D-dimer, all 14 patients' D-dimer levels were increased, including the cases that received varied doses of anticoagulation treatment. Microscopically, the major findings were widespread platelet-fibrin microthrombi, steatosis, histiocytic hyperplasia in the portal tract, mild lobular inflammation, ischemic-type hepatic necrosis, and zone 3 hemorrhage. Rare megakaryocytes were found in sinusoids. COVID-19 IHC demonstrates positive staining of the histiocytes in the portal tract. Under electron microscopy, histiocyte proliferation is present in the portal tract containing lipid droplets, lysosomes, dilated ribosomal endoplasmic reticulum, microvesicular bodies, and coronavirus. The characteristic findings in the liver of patients with COVID-19 include numerous amounts of platelet-fibrin microthrombi, as well as various degrees of steatosis and histiocytic hyperplasia in the portal tract. Possible mechanisms are also discussed.

Dataset Information

Sonographic findings in coronavirus disease-19 associated liver damage.

Purpose

Materials and methods

Results

Conclusion

Publications

Sonographic findings in coronavirus disease-19 associated liver damage.

Similar Datasets

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